WOMEN in RECOVERY — Emotional Health

Diagnosing a Nervous Breakdown

Your doctor will perform a physical examination to rule out any other medical conditions, and also ask you what symptoms you are experiencing. A course of medication may be prescribed as well as a referral to a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Symptoms of a Nervous Breakdown & Early Warning Signs

There are physical, emotional and behavioral warning signs and symptoms of a nervous breakdown. They include:

Physical symptoms of a nervous breakdown

Sleep disruption – much longer periods of sleep or insomnia

Diarrhea

Constipation

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Breathing problems

Migraine headaches

Low libido

Memory loss

Disrupted menstrual cycle

Extreme exhaustion/fatigue

Feelings of persistent anxiety or panic attacks

Significant changes in appetite, such as eating too little or too much (comfort eating)

Visual/eye disturbances

Emotional symptoms

Anxiety

Depression

Agitation and restlessness

Indecision

Loss of confidence and selfesteem

Inability to stop crying

Feelings of guilt, poor judgment

Disinterest in social life and work or alienation from previously close friends and family

Hearing voices

Behavioral symptoms

Mood swings

Strange behavior such as odd body movements or undressing in public

Exhibiting strong or violent anger

In more extreme cases, psychosis can occur where the person will experience complete loss of contact with reality. The symptoms may include hallucinations or visions, feelings of victimization or persecution, strange speech patterns and behaviors as well as extreme guilt or grandiosity.

What Causes a Nervous Breakdown?

There is always a trigger or catalyst that sparks a nervous breakdown. Breakdowns usually stem from a change in a major life event such as a broken relationship, death of a loved one, a demanding job or financial difficulties. Factors that may contribute to a breakdown include:

Anxiety surrounding major life changes or disorders, such as pregnancy/after birth/labor, menopause, etc.

Schizophrenia

Extreme guilt or emotional problems

Help for Nervous Breakdowns

There are many treatment methods and approaches for dealing with nervous breakdowns. Choosing the right one depends on the diagnosis of the individual case, as there is no standard cure. There are ways to prevent a nervous breakdown, conventional treatments, natural remedies, nutritional supplements and many other therapies to choose from.

Available Treatment Options for Nervous Breakdowns

Preventative

Obviously the best approach is to prevent the breakdown from occurring in the first place. Recognizing the warning signs of a nervous breakdown and reducing and managing stress levels can often produce excellent results and prevent the total collapse usually associated with a nervous breakdown.

Conventional Medicine

Conventional treatments once signs of a nervous breakdown are observed usually consist of anti-depressants or other psychiatric medications. These can have serious side effects as they are high schedule drugs. Prescription drugs alone do not offer a comprehensive treatment for any psychiatric or stress related condition. It is important to seek help in managing the conditions that led up to the breakdown. This is best done by consulting a psychologist.

Natural Remedies

Herbal and homeopathic remedies have the potential to address many of the symptoms of nervous distress and have the advantage of being safe and effective, without many of the side effects and potential for addiction commonly associated with the psychiatric drugs. By incorporating these remedies into your lifestyle, you are not only being proactive but also improving your physical, mental and emotional health.

Herbal and homeopathic remedies commonly recommended include ingredients such as St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), Passiflora incarnata, Lavender, Valerian and Melissa officinalis. Homeopathic remedies may also be very beneficial in addressing the underlying causes of the psychological distress and are very useful along with psychotherapy.

Nutritional Supplements

Signs of a nervous breakdown include stress which often means that the individual becomes deficient in certain vitamins and minerals especially if appetite is also affected. A good multivitamin can be very beneficial and special attention should be paid to taking extra vitamins in the B complex, particularly Vitamin B6 and B12. .

Other therapies

Aromatherapy, yoga, reflexology, Reiki and massage therapy can all be useful adjuncts to treatment and can greatly assist in aiding relaxation and stress management.

Nutrition & Diet Tips for Preventing Nervous Breakdowns

While a holistic lifestyle that ties diet, exercise and natural remedy will give you the best results for supporting mental health and therefore helping prevent nervous breakdowns, the benefits of a healthy diet cannot be emphasized enough the old adage you are what you eat can really hold true, as foods are not only fuel but stress fighters, too!

Complex carbs boost levels of serotonin, a brain-calming chemical. While all carbs actually boost levels of serotonin, complex carbs are best, which are digested more slowly. Good sources include whole-grain breakfast cereals, breads, and pastas, as well as old-fashioned oatmeal. Complex carbs also stabilize blood sugar levels, helping support mood.

Avoid simple carbs like candy and soda, as are they are digested quickly, leading to a spike and subsequent crash in serotonin.

Vitamin C has been studied and shown to reduce levels of stress hormones while strengthening the immune system.